Predictors of psychiatric hospitalization referral by a mobile crisis team

Abstract

The present investigation examined the relationships between crisis event variables, sociodemographic variables, and mental health service use history variables and the decision to psychiatrically hospitalize adult crisis clients of a mobile crisis team, in order to determine how variables within the three aforementioned domains incrementally contributed to the prediction of hospitalization decisions. Data for the current study were derived from data collection forms that were completed by mobile crisis workers for each adult crisis event attended over a 9-month period. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were conducted using a 3-block sequential model building approach. The present study identified crisis event variables that were significantly related to the likelihood of hospitalization referral, and sociodemographic variables that significantly accounted for additional variance in hospitalization decisions over and above crisis event variables. Mental health service use history variables did not significantly account for additional variance in hospitalization decisions over and above crisis event and sociodemographic variables.